Quick-serve restaurant owners are some of the busiest people you may ever know. In addition to sales, food quality, staffing, safety, regulations, marketing, staying ahead of the competition, and inventory management, quick-serve restaurant owners have to keep track of financial performance,...

Like a tropical storm, many different elements came together in 2013 to create a standout year for Fiesta Restaurant Group, parent company to fast-casual brands Pollo Tropical and Taco Cabana. After years of climbing sales and store counts, tinkering with the store design and menu, and strategic...

Craig Bernstein knew he wanted to be a restaurateur as early as the sixth grade, and in the summer of 2013, he transformed those childhood ambitions into a reality with the debut of Doc B’s Fresh Kitchen.
Named in honor of Bernstein’s father, Dr. Robert Bernstein, the Chicago-based eatery is a...

Thanks to British ex-pat Nathan Coe and his Nantucket Pasty Co., the pasty is becoming a household term—and an oft-enjoyed culinary item—in the seaside community of Nantucket, Massachusetts.
Leveraging the talents of Culinary Institute of America–trained pastry chef Josh Smerdon, the two-year-old...

Charlotte, North Carolina–based Bojangles’ may fall into the chicken quick-service category, but as any executive, operator, employee, or loyal fan will tell you, it’s all about the biscuit.
And for good reason: The item is included or featured in nearly 80 of the brand’s menu items, a fact that...

Q: Everyone says word-of-mouth marketing is the best form of marketing, but how do you actually create it?
A: Word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing has always been very powerful, but today’s technology and culture make it a particularly ripe time to harvest its power. The primary way to get the most out of...

Earlier this year, research firm The NPD Group confirmed what many in the quick-service industry have known for years: The breakfast wars are real, and there’s more at stake then a Waffle Taco or a better cup of coffee. NPD’s “A Look into the Future of Foodservice” report found that the quick-...

It’s hard for aficionados in any field to avoid the desert-island question. For music mavens, it boils down to, “Which album would you take with you, if you could only take one?” Movie lovers have to decide which film they’d want to watch, possibly in perpetuity—a question that bears careful...

The sriracha craze is heating up with the introduction of Sriracha Sausage pizza at PizzaRev, a fast-casual pizza concept. The build-your-own pizza shop will feature the Sriracha Sausage pizza throughout March and April at its 25 open location sacross California, Texas, Utah, South Dakota, and...

Qdoba one-upped its queso game with the debut of Bacon Jalapeno Queso in restaurants now.

The ultimate savory, smoky, and spicy addition, Bacon Jalapeno Queso features Qdoba’s signature 3-Cheese Queso infused with a mix of hardwood-smoked bacon and a hint of jalapeño heat. When devouring...

McAlister’s Deli announced today it is targeting Phoenix for franchise growth. The brand is seeking experienced multi-unit restaurant operators to help expand McAlister’s presence in the market through multi-unit development agreements in areas such as Mesa, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale,...

Houston-based Salata, the fast-growing custom salad and salad wrap restaurant company, announced its 26,000-square-foot corporate complex in west Houston. Located on nearly two acres at 16720 Park Row, build-out on the facility began in January. Completion is estimated for summer 2015.

Soupman Inc., the parent company of the Original SoupMan, opened its newest restaurant, the Original SoupMan Famous Delicatessen & Grill at the Roosevelt Field Mall on Long Island in Garden City, New York.

In honor of the grand opening Original SoupMan Famous Delicatessen & Grill...

Taco John’s, one of the largest Mexican quick-service restaurant chains in the U.S., has signed deals to open 25 stores and is poised for rapid growth. The new stores will be developed in current markets, as well as new markets in Indiana, Virginia, and New York.

Maui Wowi Hawaiian announces a new location coming soon to the Ocean City Boardwalk in Ocean City, New Jersey. The company says it plans to open up its fresh fruit smoothie and gourmet coffee shop in time for Memorial Day weekend, to kickoff summer.

What can I possibly tell you about potatoes, dear quick-serve industry professional, that you don’t already know? It’s not as though you’re unacquainted with America’s favorite starch. You may even know that it’s the world’s fourth-largest food crop, trailing behind only rice, corn, and wheat,...

Consider the spud. Sure, it’s often thought of as a simple, standard restaurant staple—and in the quick-service field often relegated to the side of the plate or presented in fried format—but it also can be the subject of inspiration and kitchen creativity. Potatoes are also a cost-effective...

When Lori Newcomb found out she had stage III ovarian cancer last year, she made it her mission to learn more about the disease and help other women fighting the same battle. She sat down with her husband, Chris Newcomb, cofounder and CEO of Southern quick-service chain Newk’s Eatery, and together...

Having started as a sandwich maker with Subway when he was 18 years old, Gurpreet Singh has spent nearly half his life in the quick-service industry. Now a Checkers franchisee, Singh has spent time in every quick-serve job imaginable: line worker, manager, general manager, and, today, franchisee....

While the fast-casual category continues to be the fastest-growing industry sector, the road in 2015 will be bumpy. We will see constant change and challenges around every corner. For industry leaders, there are issues that will keep even the most seasoned executive awake at night.
Here is my top...

Like much of the rest of the economy, the 2008 economic meltdown brought a massive slow-down to the quick-service franchise industry. The combination of tightfisted money lenders and general economic uncertainty put franchise businesses in a near impossible position when it came to accessing...